Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival goes on in Long Beach despite Cardi B cancellation

Share this:

Phum Viphurit fans dance during his performance on the Juanga stage at the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

After screaming like a smitten teenager at the music of a 76-year-old Latin crooner she never heard of before she came to Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival, 36-year-old Cecilia Torres was glad she listened to her mother.

“She told me, go see Leo Dan and she was right, he’s pretty good, and I do kind of remember some of these songs,” said the Los Angeles resident, who attended the first day of the Long Beach festival specifically to see Morrissey, but found herself dancing from music from her mother’s era as well.

Despite a last-minute cancellation of Sunday night headliner Cardi B and and a few other acts, including Ronnie Spector and Cuco, the music and tacos went on as Torres was one of nearly 15,000 people who flocked to Queen Mary Park on a warm Saturday afternoon. Opening day of the festival’s second year included performances by multi-generational artists such as headliner Morrissey, ’90s indie rockers Mazzy Star, cumbia legends Los Angeles Azules and Torres’ mom’s favorite, Argentine-born 1970s-era Latin pop-crooner Leo Dan.

And until late Friday night the lineup also included rapper Cardi B headlining Sunday night, as well as iconic singer Ronnie Spector & the Ronettes, Hawthorne-born Chicano dream-pop musician Cuco and Badbadnotgood on the bill throughout the weekend.

Morrissey headlines the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Morrissey performs on day one of the two day music and taco festival Tropicalia at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Sound

The gallery will resume inseconds

David Robles poses for a photograph during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Kali Uchis performs on the Chalino stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Morrissey performs on day one of the two day music and taco festival Tropicalia at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Morrissey performs on day one of the two day music and taco festival Tropicalia at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Morrissey performs on the Chalino stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Kali Uchis performs on the Chalino stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Morrissey performs on day one of the two day music and taco festival Tropicalia at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Kali Uchis performs on the Chalino stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

The band Inspector performs during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

The band Inspector performs during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Devendra Banhart performs on the Chalino stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Devendra Banhart performs on the Chalino stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

A large variety of aguas frescas are served during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

From left, Raquel Guerra and Arthur Vega enjoy listening to Devendra Banhart during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Phum Viphurit performs on the Juanga stage at the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Devendra Banhart performs on the Chalino stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Omar Apollo performs on the Chavela stage during the first day of the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival at the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Phum Viphurit fans dance during his performance on the Juanga stage at the Tropicalia Music and Taco Festival in Long Beach on Saturday, November 3, 2018. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

But when concert promoter Goldenvoice finally released the set times Friday evening these artists were missing from the lineup and sent a press release that read “due to unforeseen circumstances Cardi B, Cuco, BadBadNotGood and Ronnie Spector will regretfully not be performing at Tropicalia Fest. We apologize for any inconvenience to fans.”

Frankie Diaz, a 25-year-old L.A. resident who came specifically to see Cardi B, wasn’t very happy after he found out the news late Friday night.

“It was like not even 24 hours (notice),” he said as he sat with his friends near one of the side stages on Saturday afternoon. “It’s tolerable but I’m definitely not OK with it,” he said.

Diaz still planned to make the best of hit and have fun with his friends.

As of Saturday afternoon, Goldenvoice had not responded to requests for comment on the cancellations. Cuco posted on social media Friday night that he and his band pulled out because they are still recovering from an accident last month.

Last Show of the Year

Since then the concert giant has turned the Queen Mary into a mini music festival hot spot bringing in hip-hop and Latin crowds with events such as Smoker’s Club, Smoking Grooves, and Smoke Me Out while taking over existing concerts Tropicalia, One Love Cali Reggae, Summertime in the LBC and 98.7 FM’s Summer Camp.

All of the concerts, except for Tropicalia, sold out.

“I think it’s been more successful than we imagined. We quickly realized as we started putting these shows on sale that there’s a market demand in the Long Beach/OC area that’s underserved,” Paul Billings, vice president and general manager of Goldenvoice, said in a interview a couple of weeks prior to Tropicalia.

“It’s hard to find any location that has done like seven mini festivals anywhere.”

Besides Leo Dan, who made new fans swoon, returning act and Coachella veterans Los Angeles Azules once again got the crowd dancing to cumbias during the main stage set in the early afternoon.

And younger bands like Orange County-based 1960s rock-inspired garage band The Hurricanes, who performed at the Juanga stage early Saturday afternoon, had a lot in common with fans like Torres when it came to the older acts.

With their vintage sound and punk growls, plus a keyboard player who played with his teeth, the band got the crowd dancing like they were at a modern era sock-hop.

“I think being on the same lineup with Leo Dan is … beautiful,” Hurricanes lead singer Roach Sánchez said from the backstage area right after the band’s set. “My jefita (mom) listened to that stuff and actually when I told her I was coming she was all excited…a huevo (seriously), that’s the stuff that inspired us.”